This application claims the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 9-242120 filed on Aug. 21, 1997, and Nos. 9-282542 and 9-282541 filed on Sep. 30, 1997, and No. 9-281398 filed on Sep. 16, 1997 which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an opening/closing controller for opening/closing a pipe such as an air feed pipe, water feed pipe, and suction pipe disposed in an endoscope and a flow rate controller for controlling a flow rate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 10 shows a configuration of a conventional endoscope and an electromagnetic valve unit. In FIG. 10, a water feed pipe 2A, an air feed pipe 3A, and a suction pipe (also used as a treatment tool inserting channel) 4A are disposed from a distal end section 1A to an operating section 1B in an endoscope 1, and the suction pipe 4A is connected to a forceps port 5 disposed in the operating section 1B. As shown in FIG. 10, the operating section 1B is provided with an air/water feed (A/W) switch 6, which is a two-stage switch, a suction (SUC) switch 7, and a photographing button 8. The operation control signals of the switches 6 and 7 are supplied to an electromagnetic valve unit 9 via signal lines (not shown). Also, in order to connect the electromagnetic valve unit 9 to the operating section 1B, a water feed pipe 2B, an air feed pipe 3B, and a suction pipe 4B are provided in a cable or the like.
The electromagnetic valve unit 9 is provided with five electromagnetic valves Va, Vb, Vc, Vd and Ve for opening/closing each of the pipe, a pump 62, a control section 63, and a feed water tank 28. The feed water tank 28 is connected to the pump 62 via an air feed pipe 3C, and also connected to the electromagnetic valve Va via a water feed pipe 2C. Further, a suction pipe 4C is connected with a suction tank 29 and a pump.
According to the above-described configuration, when the air/water feed switch 6 is not operated, only the electromagnetic valve Vc is opened. By closing the electromagnetic valves Va and Vc and opening Vb, air is fed to an air feed pipe 3, and by closing the electromagnetic valves Vb and Vc and opening Va, water is fed to a water pipe 2. By this air/water feed, contamination etc. of an objective lens window disposed in the distal end section 1A can be removed. Also, by closing the electromagnetic valve Ve and opening Vd, suction is effected, whereby the content etc. in a body being observed are sucked and discharged via a suction pipe 4. It is to be noted that endoscope systems controlling the fluid by using the above-mentioned electromagnetic valves have been disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 1-297045, 1-310638, etc.
As the above-mentioned electromagnetic valves Va through Ve, a pinch valve, for example, is used. This pinch valve closes the pipe by crushing the soft pipe portion of each pipe arranged in the valve, and opens it by releasing the crushed state. Such a pinch valve has an advantage that an opening/closing portion is not clogged with dirt etc., and a cleaning brush can be caused to pass through a valve portion, so that the pipe inside can be cleaned easily.
However, the pinch valve has a problem in that the soft pipe becomes liable to be crushed, or the deterioration in the soft pipe is accelerated because the soft pipe is crushed. Also, as comparing with a diaphragm valve, the pinch valve consumes much electric power because it is an electromagnetic valve, and its cost is high considering the replacement work etc., resulting from the deterioration in the soft pipe.
Although the opened/closed pipes carry various fluids as described above, the air feed pipe has a little need especially for periodic cleaning unless a liquid etc. enter. Therefore, if the air feed pipe is not cleaned and accordingly no pinch valve is disposed, the above-mentioned disadvantage can be reduced.
The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and accordingly a first object thereof is to provide an opening/closing controller for an endoscope pipe in which the advantage of cleaning properties of a pinch valve is used, the disadvantage of the pinch valve is reduced by restricting the application locations thereof, and the power consumption and the cost can be decreased.
Also, in the fluid control of the above-mentioned endoscope pipe, only the control as to whether or not air feed, water feed, or suction is executed is carried out, and the quantities of fed air, fed water, and suction cannot be regulated variably at the present. In the air/water feed to the aforesaid objective lens window, if the quantity can be regulated variably, the contamination can be removed efficiently while considering the effect on the inside of a body being observed and the like. Also, in the suction of the content, if the quantity can be regulated variably, the content can be discharged according to the situation. As a result, an endoscope which is easy to use can be obtained.
The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and accordingly a second object thereof is to provide a flow rate controller for an endoscope pipe in which the flow rate of a fluid in the pipe can be regulated variably, thereby obtaining an endoscope which is easy to use.
To achieve the above first object, the opening/closing controller for an endoscope duct in accordance with the present invention is characterized by comprising: an air feed pipe, which is provided in an endoscope, for feeding air; a liquid pipe, which is provided in an endoscope, for feeding a liquid; a diaphragm valve provided as an opening/closing valve for the air feed pipe; a check valve, which is provided in the air feed pipe, for preventing a liquid from entering from the outside; and a pinch valve provided as an opening/closing valve for the liquid pipe.
According to the above configuration, since the reverse flow of water etc. to the air feed pipe can be prevented at the check valve, the air feed pipe is not contaminated by a fluid other than air, so that the air feed pipe need not be cleaned. If the diaphragm valve is disposed in the air feed pipe, the power consumption and the cost can be decreased. In the mean time, for the water feed pipe and suction pipe, since a pinch valve is used, a cleaning brush can be used, and other advantages regarding the cleaning properties can be enjoyed.
Also, another invention is characterized in that the air feed pipe is connected to the liquid pipe via a check valve, and there is provided an auxiliary opening/closing valve, consisting of a diaphragm valve, for supplying air from the air feed pipe to the liquid pipe. According to this configuration, the air feed pipe is connected to the water feed pipe by opening the auxiliary opening/closing valve, so that air can be fed to the water feed pipe, whereby draining work can be performed easily.
Further, to achieve the second object, the flow rate controller for an endoscope pipe in accordance with the present invention is characterized by comprising: various pipes provided in an endoscope; a plurality of control pipes with different pipe diameters connected to the pipe in a branching state; an opening/closing valve for opening/closing each of the plural control pipes; and a control section for variably regulating the flow rate in the pipe by selective opening/closing control of the plural opening/closing valves.
In the above configuration, the flow rate can be regulated variably by the combined use of the plural control pipes on the basis of the control of the plural opening/closing valves.
An operation switch for regulating the flow rate may be disposed on the side of a fluid control unit separate from the endoscope, or may be disposed in an operating section of the endoscope.
According to the above configuration, the plural control pipes with different diameters are disposed for one of the endoscope pipe such as the air feed pipe and water feed pipe. When, for example, three control pipes are provided, the flow rate changes depending on which of the three control pipes is opened by the opening/closing valve, and also the flow rate changes according to the combination of opened pipes.
This flow rate regulating operation, that is, the setting of which of the opening/closing valves is opened, is performed by using a selecting switch etc. provided on a control panel etc. on the side of the fluid control unit. Also, the flow rate regulating operation can be executed by using the operation switch in the operating section of the endoscope. In this case, the flow rate regulation by the control pipes with different diameters is made possible by opening/closing a predetermined opening/closing valve according to the pressing pressure or stroke amount of the operating section.
Also, the flow rate controller for an endoscope pipe in accordance with another invention is characterized by comprising: a suction pipe provided in an endoscope; a plurality of open-to-atmosphere pipes connected to the suction pipe in a branching state; an opening/closing valve for opening/closing each of the plural open-to-atmosphere pipes; and a control section for variably regulating the flow rate in the suction pipe by selective opening/closing control of the plural opening/closing valves.
Pipes with different inside diameters can be used as the plural open-to-atmosphere pipes, and the flow rate can be regulated variably by the combined use of the plural open-to-atmosphere pipes on the basis of the control of the plural opening/closing valves.
An operation switch for regulating the flow rate in the suction pipe may be disposed on the side of a fluid control unit separate from the endoscope, or may be disposed in an operating section of the endoscope.
According to the above configuration, the plural open-to-atmosphere pipes are disposed for one suction pipe, so that the suction flow rate changes depending on how many open-to-atmosphere pipes are opened by the opening/closing valve. If these open-to-atmosphere pipes have different diameters, the flow rate changes depending on which of the pipes is opened by the opening/closing valve, and also the flow rate changes according to the combination of opened pipes.